As I unloaded my bike at the Sandstone Ridge car park, the incessant rain drew into question why was I out on a day like today? The flooded roads and kindly offered bow waves coming off other cars reinforced the feeling. This questioning sensation was further enhanced when I entered the Station Cafe to be greeted by Dave H with the words “are you riding today?”.
Happiness, I thought, this is all a bad dream and I must remember to knock off the cheese before going to bed. However instead of rolling over for a further ten minutes of beauty sleep I was rudely made aware that the rainwater had run down inside my neoprene overboots and was no intruding on my (up to now) dry feet!
So here we were the merry trio Steve T, Dave H and shortly to arrive Drip Dry Keith. Keith is a legend as he had already ridden in twelve miles from “the village” and having looked at the three of us he decided to ride back on his own!
After half an hour of cheerful CER banter Dave H took the correct decision to head for home, Keith donned his kit and set off for the village and Steve T and I debated on which route we could take to get really wet.
Neil T’s 35 mile circular route to Bunbury ticked the boxes so off we went. The roads from Hatchmere to Norley were properly flooded, leading to lots of crown off the road surfing and trusting nothing was coming the other way. Opposing traffic provided the additional bonus of a bow wave of water every time we passed a car that seemed to have found an even deeper puddle.
Neil T’s route utilizes the Whitegate Way, a lovely ride on a dry day…..just not today. So flying off piste we ventured through more flooded roads as we circumnavigated Cuddington and Sandiway. Soon the picturesque village of Little Budworth appeared from the gloom. By now the rain had abated and spirits were high. However, this respite was short lived and by Rushton a short cut was spotted to Eaton missing out Tilley’s for lunch.
Now complimented by a tail wind we zipped through Cotebrooke and Delamere.
A very wet day but demonstrating the ethos of “we ride in all weathers” as prophesied by Dave H, rain aside we had a go even if only 20 miles it was nice to get out.
Steve H
The speech from Henry V before Agincourt comes to mind “ And gentlemen in England still abed shall think themselves accursed they were not there etc …” Well done though, if a little bonkers!
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